Rain

The Rain


This pelting spirit rain beats upon me
like the leaden bullets of longing
not in simple free-fall, but launched hellward
belched like silent thunder from black iron
exquisitely targeted; a cruciform crosshairs
fixed on the soul, trained on the mind

No umbrella of iron makes canopy above
I long ago beat it into strongboxed memory
my secret singularity in Munin’s claws
densely packed and catalogued
the compartmented maze of mindfulness
the string of hope will lead right back home

The paindrops bring my ancient frienemy
the one we name humility in hushed acid
a burning word that sears the tongue
as it is breathed into existence as a cloud
a nimbus in reverse that sends rain up

Back to that artful artillery of regret
guided true by the exhale of pride
like fumes of lightspeed radar
my smallness is my brightest gem
my insignificance is my new wisdom
formidable I am with it on my brow